Chapter Eleven- Rose

"Daddy?" Rose called, stomping down the stairs of their cozy home just big enough for the two of them.

"I'm in the living room, sweetheart," he answered. "Come see your old daddy."

Rosie skipped blissfully into the living room and waited for Richard to pick her up.

Richard slurped his coffee and scooped her up easily.

"Daddy," Rose said demandingly, looking up at him expectantly. "What day is it?"

"I forgot it was Saturday," he replied, picking up the remote and changing the channel to cartoons.

"No, Daddy," Rosie corrected. "The other thing."

"Is it Christmas?" Richard inquired.

"No."

"Easter?"

"I don't think so."

"Halloween? St. Patrick's Day? The Fourth of July?"

"Daddy," Rose said exasperatedly.

"Is it…your birthday?" Richard asked, launching a tickle attack to her ribs.

Rose exploded in giggles, tears streaming down her face. "Daddy…please…stop," she chuckled.

"What?" he questioned innocently. "I'm not doing anything!"

"Stop tickling me!" she demanded, her face bright red.

"Fine," he muttered darkly. "You're no fun. Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Can I have pancakes for breakfast?" Rosie asked sweetly, looking up at her father with azure eyes that still sparkled with tears.

"Of course you can," Richard replied. "It's your birthday. I can't believe you're five years old already."

"Yes I am!" Rosie exclaimed proudly. "I'm a big girl. And I get to start school in a few days, right?"

"Two days," Richard answered. "My big girl."

Rosie smiled a smile so like her mother's that it hurt Richard to see. "Can you make breakfast now?"

"OK, OK," Richard grumbled. "Chef Grayson reporting for duty."

Rose giggled again and settled down to watch her favorite cartoons. Richard slurped more of his coffee as he gathered pancake ingredients.

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Richard's friends stopped by before Rose's official party.

"Let me see the big birthday girl!" Karen howled as soon as she stepped through the door.

Rosie ran down the stairs and into her "aunt's" arms, who swung her around and pecked the top of her head.

"You look just like your Mama," Karen informed the child. "Doesn't she, Rachel?"

"She does," Rachel agreed. "She looks just like Kori."

"Give me my kid," Richard growled. "Stop comparing her to her mother; she's pretty in her own way."

"Thank you Daddy," Rose beamed.

"You're very welcome, Princess. Your friends will be here soon, Rose. Let Karen do something with your hair or some girly thing, OK?"

Karen all-too-happily obeyed; she swooped up Rose again and brought her into her room.

"How you doing, man?" Vic asked Richard. "I mean…it's the anniversary tomorrow and all…" his voice trailed off uncertainly.

"I'm fine, Vic," Richard returned coldly. "I know tomorrow it'll have been five years."

"You know what that means…" Gar said brightly. "We're supposed to get you a girlfriend!"

"You will do no such thing," Richard hissed. "I have a daughter to raise."

"A daughter who needs a mother," Rachel pointed out gently. "You can't expect her to be Daddy's little girl forever."

"Yes I can."

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"Daddy!" Rosie squealed. "I have to go to school!"

Richard groaned beneath Rose's added weight. "What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"I don't know," Rosie said innocently. "I can't tell time yet."

"Oh yeah," he muttered. "OK, Daddy is awake. Have I taught you how to make coffee yet?"

"No," Rosie giggled. "I can't drink coffee remember?"

"Wah, wah, wah," Richard grumbled. "OK, Princess, go get dressed. Daddy will make breakfast and take you to school."

"I want waffles," Rose said demandingly.

"I can do that," Richard said amiably. "If that's what my princess wants."

"You're a good Daddy," Rose proclaimed. "I bet no one else has a Daddy as good as mine."

Richard felt his heart melt. "Thank you, Rosie," he said thickly. "That means a lot to your old dad."

Rosie smiled sweetly at him. "Daddy," she began. "I want to wear my pink dress to school today."

"That sounds fine. Pink looks very pretty on you, especially with your hair," he complimented. "Now go get dressed."

Rosie skipped off into her room, nightgown swishing around her ankles. "She is such a little girl," he murmured to himself. "She'll have to be fighting off boys with a stick when she gets older."

Shaking this thought from his mind, he tugged on a robe and rubbed sleep from his eyes.

Richard peeked in at Rose. She had just finished pulling on her dress and was searching for her socks.

Richard smiled at her and continued downstairs.

"Much better," he murmured, sipping his coffee gratefully.

Richard opened the freezer and pulled out the box of blueberry waffles, Rose's favorite. He stuffed two into the toaster as Rose skipped into the kitchen, brandishing a hairbrush and two hair ties.

"Pigtails?" Richard guessed. Rose nodded, grinning happily. "Daddy can do that," he said agreeably.

Richard sat her down on one of the tall stools along the kitchen counter. He brushed out the snarls and carefully parted her thick ruby locks, thanks to a lesson from Karen.

"You're going to have to learn how to do her hair, Richard," she had insisted.

"Here we go," Richard said, winding the last ponytail holder around the end of her braid. Her waffles popped up loudly.

"That works," Rosie exclaimed. "This is such a nice day, isn't it Daddy?"

"Yes it is, honey," he agreed, cutting the waffles up for her and sticking them into the microwave.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Rosie."

She reached up for a hug, one which he readily returned.

After a quick breakfast and shower, Richard buckled Rose into the car.

She was quiet during the ride, which was not normal for her. She was a happy child, much like her mother.

"You OK?" Richard asked his daughter, glancing in the rearview mirror.

"I'm nervous," Rose admitted. "What if the other kids don't like me?"

"Why wouldn't they like my baby?" Richard demanded. "You're perfect."

"There's no such thing as perfect, Daddy," Rose giggled.

"Yes there is. I'm looking at her."

Rosie laughed and smiled. "Thanks Daddy."

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Rose ran straight into Richard's arms after school.

"Hi, sweetheart," he cooed. "How was school?"

"I love it here Daddy!" she cried enthusiastically. "Do I have to come home?"

"Yes you do," he said, tickling her tummy. "Come on; we can get ice cream."

He held Rose's hand as they walked towards his car, and he knew they'd be OK.